El Paso border: Liquid meth, heroin, cocaine and marijuana seized

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers on Saturday found packages of cocaine and heroin in a vehicle's car battery at the Paso Del Norte Bridge in El Paso. (Courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

Liquid methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and marijuana was seized at El Paso area border crossings during the weekend, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said Monday.

A load of liquid methamphetamine was found Sunday morning in a gas-tank compartment of a Ford Explorer at the Zaragoza Bridge, CBP officials said. Half the tank was filled with fuel while a separate section contained 129 pounds of meth. Gerardo Diaz Cerda, 52, of Juárez, was arrested on suspicion of drug smuggling.

On Saturday night, CBP officers found 7.5 pounds of heroin and 2.6 pounds of cocaine in the car battery and air filter of a Jeep Liberty at the Paso Del Norte Bridge, officials said. Omar Eduardo Vega Salas, 27, of Chihuahua City, was arrested on suspicion of drug smuggling.

REPORTER

Daniel Borunda

In Santa Teresa, CBP officers seized 470 pounds of marijuana in four cases. The largest bust was more than 182 pounds found in metal boxes inside the fuel tank of a Dodge Ram 1500. Francisco Javier Rodriguez Quintana, 38, of Chihuahua City, was arrested, officials said.